TRENTON, N.J. — Governor Phil Murphy acknowledged recent Republican gains in New Jersey as “concerning,” pointing to a significant shift in voter behavior during the 2024 presidential election, but said he remains confident Democrats will win statewide races in November.
Speaking in an interview, Murphy addressed the sharp reduction in Democratic margins, noting that President Biden won New Jersey by 16 points in 2020, while Vice President Kamala Harris carried the state by less than six in 2024. Much of that decline occurred in heavily Latino areas.
“I think it was Donald Trump. I think it was the moment in time, as opposed to, is this a big red shift?” Murphy said, noting that despite Trump winning Passaic County, Democratic candidates won local races there by wide margins.
Murphy added that New Jersey was not alone in experiencing a rightward swing. “New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Maryland, California — I believe each had a plus or minus a 10-point shift similar to the one we had,” he said.
The governor expressed concern over recent Republican voter registration gains. “The Republicans have been outregistering the Democrats now for many, many months, which is concerning,” Murphy said.
With a gubernatorial race on the ballot this year, Murphy said Democrats are taking the challenge seriously. While the GOP nominated a candidate with high name recognition, in Jack Ciattarelli, he expects Democrats to emerge from a competitive primary with a strong contender.
“I do think it’ll be closer,” Murphy said. “It’ll be a very good election, but I think on the margin, the Democrats are going to be.”
Murphy said recent national developments over the past four months could help reshape voter sentiment heading into the fall.
